Bill Stacker Detection Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A bill stacker detection apparatus comprises a base body, a stacker and a sensor. The sensor has a light emitting element and a light receiving element. When the stacker is moved to a position near the sensor, apertures of a protruding structure on the stacker is covered. The light receiving element is unable to receive a light beam emitted by the light emitting element. If bills fill with the stacker, a bill supporting plate then pushes a sliding block. The aperture is staggered by the sliding block. The light receiving element then receives the light beam to detect whether the stacker is disposed on the base or filled with bills.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bill stacker detection apparatus, and more particularly to the bill acceptor detection apparatus that performs the positioning detection, and detects whether a stacker is filled with bills.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coin acceptors of vending machines usually adopt coins and bills. The design of bill acceptors currently does not focus on the positioning of bill acceptors and bill acceptors filled with bills. Some companies then use counters, photoelectric switches, micro-switches or magnetic elements to detect the positioning of bill acceptors and bill-full status. However, the aforementioned ways still have the following shortcomings:

-   -   1. If the counters are used to count whether or not bills stored         in the bill acceptors are full, the circuit design may not easy         It is also difficult to maintain when it is in malfunction.

2. If the photoelectric switches are used for detection, the sensing areas may be easily covered by dirt to generate errors, and component costs are high.

3. If the micro-switches are used for detection, users directly press the micro-switches to trigger. The contacts may easily generate damages after use for a while.

Furthermore, in prior art, reed switches disposed on bill acceptors and magnetic elements on plates are used to determine whether or not bills stored in the bill acceptors are full. When the bills stored in the bill acceptors are full, predetermined alarm lamps then shine and then electrically conducting circuits are cut off However, magnetic forces may disintegrate after use for a while. The sensitivity is then decreased. Alternatively, detection actions may not be certainly performed. Besides, because there are metal components and electronic components disposed in the coin machines, the reed switches may be inappropriately influenced to cause inaccurate detections.

To overcome the foregoing shortcomings, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience to conduct extensive researches and experiments invents a bill stacker detection apparatus, as a method or a basis for achieving the aforementioned object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a bill stacker detection apparatus that provides the positioning detection, and detects whether or not a stacker is filled with bills.

To achieve the foregoing object, a bill stacker detection apparatus is provided. When bills stored in a stacker are not full, apertures of a protruding structure on the casing of the stacker is covered by a sliding block. A light receiving element is unable to receive the light beam emitted by a light emitting element. When bills stored in the stacker are full, the displacements generated by a bill supporting plate are used to push a sliding block. Apertures are then staggered by the sliding block to allow the light receiving element to receive the light beam, thereby detecting whether or not the stacker is filled with bills.

Other features and advantages of the present invention and variations thereof will become apparent from the following description, drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a bill acceptor detection apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a bill acceptor of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a bill acceptor, a light emitting element and a light receiving element of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a protruding structure of a casing of a bill acceptor of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly drawing illustrating a bill acceptor of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded assembly drawing illustrating a bill acceptor of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 an exploded assembly drawing illustrating a bill acceptor of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Refer to the related figures for a bill stacker detection apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the same elements are described by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a bill stacker detection apparatus of the present invention. The bill stacker detection apparatus 1 comprises a base body 10 with a sensor 12 and a stacker 11. A conveyer (not shown) and a bill stacking mechanism (not shown) are disposed in the base body 10. The bill stacking mechanism is used to push bills into the stacker 11. The sensor 12 has a light emitting element 13 (shown in FIG. 3) and a light receiving element 14 (shown in FIG. 3).

FIG. 2 is a pictorial drawing illustrating a stacker. FIG. 3 is a pictorial drawing illustrating the relationship among a stacker, a light emitting element and a light receiving element of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the casing of the stacker 11 has a protruding structure 18. Two sides of the protruding structure 18 have apertures 181 respectively. The position of the apertures 181 corresponds to the position of the sensor 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The light receiving element 14 of the sensor 12 could receive the light beam emitted by the light emitting element 13 through the apertures 181. Moreover, a plurality of prisms 31 is added to the sensor 12 according to demands so as to incorporate with the design of main mechanisms to change the path of the light beam. As shown in FIG. 3, after adding two prisms 31, the light emitting element 13 and the light receiving element 14 could be disposed at the same side. The light beam is reflected by the prisms 31 to pass through the apertures 181. The light emitting element 13 and the light receiving element 14 are electrically connected to the same circuit board to save spaces.

FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are a pictorial drawing illustrating a protruding structure on the casing of a stacker of the present invention and exploded pictorial drawings illustrating a stacker of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the protruding structure 18 has an accommodating room 182. A sliding block 19 is disposed in the accommodating room 182. The sliding block 19 can be moved to cover or stagger the apertures 181. Referring to FIG. 5, at least one elastic element 15 is fastened in an interior wall of the stacker 11. An end of the elastic element 15 is fastened on a bill supporting plate 16 such that the bill supporting plate 16 has displacements in the stacker 11. A side pushing block 17 of the bill supporting plate 16 is hooked with the sliding block 19 so as to enable the side pushing block 17 to push the sliding block 19.

When the sliding block 19 is in an initial position, the apertures 181 are covered. The light receiving element 14 is unable to receive the light beam because the sliding block 19 covers the apertures 181. It then determines the stacker 11 is at a predetermined position. Bills disposed to the bill supporting plate 16 are not full yet. Next, bills are continually delivered to the bill stacking mechanism (not shown) via the conveyer (not shown). The bill stacking mechanism is used again to push the bills to the bill supporting plate 16 of the stacker 11. The bill supporting plate 16 is pushed by the elastic element 15 that then leans against the bills. As the bills are continually pushed to the stacker 11, the bill supporting plate 16 is pressed by the bills to generate displacements. When the side pushing block 17 of the bill supporting plate 16 contacts with an upper portion of the sliding block 19 as shown in FIG. 7, the displacements generated by the bill supporting plate 16 push the sliding block 19. The apertures 181 are then staggered by the sliding block 19. The light receiving element 14 then receives the light beam emitted by the light emitting element 13. In another word, when enough bills are pushed to the stacker 11, the sliding block 19 is then moved to stagger the apertures 181. Accordingly, the stacker 11 filled with the bills is detected. The aforementioned way is used to determine whether or not bills stored in the stacker 11 are full by whether or not the light beam is received by the light receiving element 14.

Although the features and advantages of the embodiments according to the preferred invention are disclosed, it is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all modifications and changes within the spirit and scope of the following claims. 

1. A bill stacker detection apparatus comprising: a base body having a sensor, said sensor having a light emitting module and a light receiving module; and a stacker, an elastic element being fastened on an interior wall of said stacker, an end of said elastic element being fastened on a bill supporting plate that enables said bill supporting plate to have displacements in said stacker, the casing of said stacker having a protruding structure, the inside of said protruding structure having an accommodating room, two sides of said protruding structure having apertures corresponding to the position of said sensor so as to enable said light receiving module to receive the light beam emitted by said light emitting module through said apertures; a sliding block disposed in said accommodating room, said sliding block being blocked by a side pushing block of said bill supporting plate to cover or stagger said apertures so as to detect whether or not said stacker is mounted to said base body, or bills stored in said stacker are full by detecting whether or not the light beam emitted by said light emitting module is received by said light receiving module.
 2. The bill stacker detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprises a plurality of prisms.
 3. The bill stacker detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elastic element is a spring.
 4. The bill stacker detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base body further comprises a rail so as to provide said bill acceptor to move on said rail.
 5. The bill stacker detection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control device, wherein when said stacker filled with bills is detected, said control device then requires said stacker to be removed from said base body, and another said stacker with fewer bills is therefore allowed by said control device to be moved into said base body. 